If the Good Word's Good to Me Lyrics

There was a man, hailed from Ohio, traveling west from where he'd been

His tumultuous arrival caused a stir in Oregon

Oh, he carried just a bible, but he'd never looked therein

He was a prophet of the wolf, yet adorned in shepherd's skin

Oh, I'd say he looked quite surly, but he always wore white gloves

He said, I mustn't get all dirty, for I serve the God above

But he'd always act so squirrely when we pressed for details of

These alleged sacred holy acts he claimed to do and love

And he'd say

Oh, pardon me

But can't you see

I'm a man of God, by that I mean God doesn't bother me

I believe in righteousness, in what I see

I'm a preacher of the good word if the good word's good to me

Oh, he spoke with wit and cunning. He could charm and he could lie

With a smile most becoming and a twinkle in his eye

But his mouth so broadly running did expose a spineless guy

You could no more pin a stance from him than hold onto the sky

And he'd say

Oh, pardon me

But can't you see

I'm a man of God, by that I mean God doesn't bother me

I believe in righteousness, in what I see

I'm a preacher of the good word if the good word's good to me

Yeah that's right

Soon enough the congregation pushed that joker out of town

Though his entrance sparked elation, his resistance wore us down

While I have no inclination to condone the church nor the hound

I can hear that prophet of the wolf and what he's saying now

Yeah, right now

Oh, pardon me

But can't you see

I'm a man of God, by that I mean God doesn't bother me

I believe in righteousness, in what I see

Oh, I'm a preacher of the good word if the good word's good to me

Yes, I'm a big fan of the big man when the big man's good to me

And I'll see you Sunday morning, if I'm absolutely free

I'm a preacher of the good word when the good word's good to me